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Ten man Glory slip up against Armadale

A two-goal lead within 15 minutes, was squandered after young defender Nathan Costello was sent off, in Round 13 of the PS4 National Premier League between Perth Glory and Armadale at the weekend.

Glory, which beat Armadale in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, made a perfect start and went ahead in the opening minute.

Tom King burst down the left and pulled the ball back from the bye-line to Nick Talimdzioski, who’s first time shot crashed off the bar and bounced down on the line, but assistant referee Liviu Katona’s ruled the ball was over and the goal was awarded.

Armadale went in search of a reply immediately, and Danny Hodgson was sent one-on-one with Glory keeper Jordan Franken, who stood tall to deny him.

Then on the quarter hour mark, Glory doubled its advantage.

Slobodan Vulin sent a perfectly weighted through ball to Talimdzioski, and the striker held off his marker to finish clinically past Dylan Wilson.

But the game then took a massive twist when Costello was sent off by referee Steven Gregory.

A long ball over the top sent Hodgson racing clear, Costello got back with a last ditch tackle, but referre Steven Gregory believed he didn’t get the ball and showed him a straight red card.

It looked a little harsh, but things went from bad to worse for the home side, immediately from the resulting free kick.

Hodgson curled the ball up and over the wall and into the net off the post.

Then in the shadows of half time Armadale levelled, Hodgson burst into the area and was brought down by Dejan Spaseski, and Gregory pointed straight to the spot.

Hodgson picked himself up and fired low past Franken.

But there was still time for Armadale to take the lead. A corner from the right by Mitch Castrilli deflected into the net off the unfortunate Talimdzioski, to send them up 3-2 into the break.

Both sides had chances early in the second half.

Wilson pushed substitute Stefan Valentini’s shot around the post, before Darren Francis’ shot from the edge of the box flashed over the top.

Glory defended well and hit on the counter attack, with Valentino a constant threat, but Armadale looked more likely to score, and Alex Castiello headed over the top on the hour.

Armadale had the perfect opportunity to wrap up the points on 80 minutes when Faustino Machochi was brought in the area by Spaseski and they were rewarded another penalty.

Hodgson stepped up but his spot kick was superbly saved by Franken low to his right.

But from the resulting corner Armadale put the game to bed.

Castiello’s header was superbly tipped on to the bar by Franken, but the Glory couldn’t clear their lines and Bealey fired home the rebound from five metres.

Glory coach John Gibson was a forlorn figure after the game, and said it was a blow for the confidence of his young side.

“We started the game really well and totally dominated all over the park and it looked like we were heading for the win, but the sending off really changed the game,” Gibson said.

“Yes the tackle was from behind, but I thought Nathan had got the ball, but the referee thought different and it was real blow for the lads. We then lost our way and they scored straight away and we had to re-shape the side and going form 2-0 up, to 2-3 down at halftime was a bitter blow.”

Talimdzioski was happy scoring two, but said the lads were devastated after the game.

“We were all a little down after the game, after leading with two early goals, but that’s football,” he said.

“It’s always a great feeling to score goals, but at the end of the day we would rather the three points.

“I think the red card was quite unfortunate, it set us back and put us under a lot of pressure and kept us on the back foot for the rest of the game.”

“We will learn a great deal about ourselves the way we respond in the next game and we are all looking forward to the game against Stirling Lions next week.”

In other games on the day, Callum Salmon's under 18's fought back from 0-3 down to draw 4-4 with Armadale. On target were Abias Bukuru, Sam Pollard, Callum Timmins and Ismail Atak.

Bobby Despotovski's under 20's maintained their lead at the top of the table with a 3-0 win against Armadale, with Daniel Stynes scoring a double, and Sam Mackearnan the other.